The Season - September to December 2004

In 2004 we will take the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the black and ethnic communities in Stevenage and once again we will bring you a selection of exciting events!

There will be contributions from all areas of the community.  The highlight of the season will be the Celebrate!!! Multicultural Showcase at the Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage on Tuesday 28 September 2004. 

This Years Theme

Our theme this year is All God's Children.  Stevenage has a unique history of friendships across cultures and this is the experience of many people who have moved to the town in the 50s, 60s, and 70s from London and the Commonwealth. 

Its is that history of friendship we will be celebrating this year. We will be collecting photographic memorabilia and making video diaries associated with experiences of arriving in Stevenage in those early years.

The Show  - Tuesday 28 September 2004

We are pleased to have participation from schools, community groups and individuals to bring you an evening of dance, music poetry and song.  The performers come from many multicultural backgrounds - this year we will feature:

Poetry from Parnassus, Pauline Oxley and Harmony
Dance from Darshita Bhalsod, , Dance Design,
     Eric's Street Dance, Cynthia Martinez & Tom Edison Pena
Hip Hop, Rap & R&B from Dragonfly,
     Danny B & Sweetness and the Punjabi & Tamil MCs
Songs from Christina Watson, Harmony,
     Rachelle Lee-Dow and The Celebrate Choir
Drama from Barnwell School & Fusion
African Fashion from Kommunal Training and Enterprise
Cultural Music from Barclay School, Sikh Association
     and Gujarati Hindu Association

Do you recognise any of these youngsters? Find out more

For Celebrate 2004 we are pleased to announce our special guests will be....

George Harris and Nina Baden-Semper the stars of TV, Film, Theatre & Radio

George Harris

  We are honoured to welcome accomplished theatre, screen and TV actor, George Harris to the Celebrate!!! Show this year.  In the theatre, George worked with Lord Olivier, who was an early mentor and Harold Pinter.  He recently appeared in the acclaimed play, Elmina’s Kitchen.  He has also worked with  film directors Ridley Scott (Black Hawk Down) and Steven Spielberg (Raiders of the Lost Ark). He has appeared in many other films throughout his career, including Flash Gordon.  George’s TV credits are equally impressive; they include Wolcot (in which he played Britain’s first ever black detective), The Sweeney, The Professionals, Prime Suspect 2, Kavanagh QC, Casualty and 55 Degrees North.  

He can be seen now in the new British thriller movie, Layer Cake, alongside Michael Gambon, Colm Meaney and Sienna Miller.

Nina’s acting career spans many years during which time she has appeared in numerous radio, television, film and theatre productions.  Her varied stage roles range from The Bacchae by Euripides, The Bourgeois Gentilehomme by Moliére and The Blacks by Genet to modern thrillers such as Wait Until Dark and Stepping Out as well as comedy roles.  She has toured world wide in many different plays.  Nina is perhaps best known for her starring role in the television comedy series Love Thy Neighbour for Thames Television and Brothers and Sisters for BBC Television.  She has been a television presenter for children’s programmes and also Morning Worship for the BBC she has made many guest appearances on numerous quizzes, talks and panel shows both nationally and internationally. Nina has made two single releases and an album and has recently become a ‘rapper’ on the ‘So Solid Crew’ video. Nina has been the recipient of Joint Television Award and also Outstanding Female Personality and was also surprised with the famous Red Book for This Is Your Life.  She has also been granted the Scarlet Ibis Award by the Trinidad & Tobago High Commission in London, UK for meritorious service.

NINA BADEN-SEMPER